More stamping delights from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning. This is the last of my guest posts for Chocolate Baroque this month. I had planned a completely different set of projects but just had designer block! Horrible when that happens, especially when working to a deadline. This happens to us all at times, particularly this year with all the added stresses.

After several days of wasted effort I just stopped working on my original plan, went away from my desk and tried to clear my head. I then went back and decided to just ‘go for it’ – no plan, no nothing. I just picked up stamps and got started. Finally ideas started to flow – phew. I find that this usually works for me, although it is not always easy to do – ha ha.

I hope that you enjoy my offerings. Everyone take care and enjoy Christmas as best you can. Spring will soon be here and I am hopeful for far better times to come soon. Big hugs Anne xxx.

Blue and White Mandala

This one is a quick and easy make using the lovely mandala style stamp.

Materials Used:

• 15cm square white card blank, decorative die cut circle in blue card and scrap white stamping card
• Palm Fan Silhouette stamp (Chocolate Baroque)
• Versamark Inkpad
• Dark blue embossing powder (WOW Earthtone Blueberry)
• White pen

How it was done

1. Faux stitching was added around the die cut circle to frame it. It was glued to the card front with 3D foam for added depth.
2. The Mandala was stamped and embossed with blue powder, cut out and glued to the card front with 3D foam.

Dazzling Butterfly

 

Chocolate Baroque have so many wonderful butterfly stamps – love this one.

Materials used

• 15cm square scalloped card blank, decorative die cut circle (light blue), scrap of white stamping card
• Stamp sets: Gerbera and Friends, Words to Dazzle and Sparkle, Butterfly Poppy Collage (Chocolate Baroque)
• Inkpads: Versamark, Distress Inks (Tumbled Glass and Stormy Sky) and Memento Dye Ink (Grape Jelly)
• Detail white embossing powder (WOW), and clear sparkle with extra fine glitter
• Alcohol ink pens (greens, turquoise, pink)
• Pink PVA pearls and Stickles glitter glue (Diamond)

How it was done

1. A mix of the Distress Inks were used to blend the outer edges of the card blank (this mix closely matched my blue die cut circle).
2. The blue card topper was stamped with Versamark and embossed with white powder.
3. The butterfly was stamped with Memento, coloured with alcohol pens. It was then heat embossed with a layer of clear sparkly powder and cut out.
4. Everything was stuck down and the card was finally finished with glitter glue and PVA pearls.

Hydrangea Card

 

When pushed for time I will often use some ready printed papers in the background. They can also help with inspiration at times too.

Materials used

• 15cm square white card blank, Crafty Individuals 6 X 6 inch background paper (Book 3 Springtime), white stamping card
• Stamp sets: Hydrangea Tag, Gerbera and Friends
• Inkpads: Versafine (Majestic Blue and Onyx Black)
• Brusho powders (Leaf Green and Purple)
• Alcohol marker and fine drawing pen (black)

How it was done

1. The background paper was trimmed and edged with black marker. The base texture was stamped with black Versafine.
2. The main image was stamped with blue Versafine, the card trimmed to approx. 9 X 13cm and edged with black marker. The floral section was stamped again with black Versafine. The stem was extended by drawing with black pen and the image cut out.
3. The topper was then spritzed with water and Brusho powder dropped onto the wet card. When dry the monochrome Hydrangea was glued on top, curling the edges up slightly for dimension.

Floral Thank You Card

This one was a super quick make. Ideal if you have a last minute card to do.

Materials used

• 10.5cm square watercolour card blank
• Stamps from Chocolate Baroque: Gerbera and Friends, Spring Bird Daffodil (sentiment)
• Inkpads: Versafine (Vintage Sepia), Distress Inks (Carved Pumpkin, Mustard Seed)
• Note: I used a stamping platform for this project. Not essential but it helps to realign when over stamping.

How it was done

1. The watercolour card was spritzed with water and stamped using a mix of the Distress Inks. These bled out giving a lovely watercolour effect.
2. When dry the image was overstamped with Versafine. Versafine was also used to stamp the border and sentiment.

Dreamy Elephant Card

I love the Indian themed stamps from Chocolate Baroque – definitely amongst my faves. To save a bit of time I again used a pre-printed background paper.

Materials used

• 15cm square white card blank, Crafty Individuals 6 X 6 inch background paper (Book 8 A Weekend in Seville), and scrap white stamping card
• Stamps: Artistic Affirmations, Indian Textiles, Indian Elephant, Gerbera and Friends
• Inkpads: Versamark and Versafine (Vintage Sepia)
• Versamark embossing pen
• Embossing powders: Metallic copper and detail gold
• Watercolour pencil (greys), sparkle pens (green, pink, purple, turquoise)

How it was done

1. The sentiment and base texture was stamped and embossed with copper powder.
2. The flowers were stamped with Versafine. The background was then edged and embossed using the embossing pen and copper powder.
3. The elephant was stamped onto white card with Versamark and embossed with gold powder. The image was then coloured with pencils and pens and cut out. The elephant was lightly shaped and glued down with 3D glue gel for dimension.

 

 

Gerbera Delights

Hi everyone. I am delighted to be a guest designer for you this month. For my second set of projects I have had a play with the lovely new Gerbera and Friends stamps from Annabel. Love this set. Hope that these give you a few more ideas and fun playing with some of your stash.

I have also finally finished the last of my Christmas card batch making – phew. Why do I always leave them until the last minute! Ha ha.

Lots of hugs, Anne.

GERBERA AND FRIENDS

Materials List

• Stamp sets (Chocolate Baroque): Gerbera and Friends (main images), Words to Dazzle & Sparkle (sentiments), Glorious (leaf stamp)
• Card blanks and smooth card (sky blue, white or black)
• Inkpads: Stazon (Jet Black), Versafine (Onyx Black), Distress Ink (Gathered Twigs), Versamark
• Versamark embossing pen
• Embossing powders: detail white and metallic gold
• Mica powders: yellow gold, pink and purple
• Water based inks: Turquoise, yellow, green, red and magenta (I used Spectrum Noir Aquatints)
• Acrylic paint metallic pink (Starlight)
• Acrylic mat medium (clear drying)
• Colouring pencils (pink, green, yellow)
• Alcohol in pens (pink, purple, yellow)
• PVA pearls and Glossy Accents
• Acetate and translucent shrink plastic
• Decorative circle dies (Tonic)

Make a Wish Cards

I created a couple of cards using the lovely dandelion clocks. I remember as a child how we would blow the seeds from the flower heads whilst making a wish. Happy memories.

My card blank measured approx. 13 X 17.5cm. I trimmed my stamping card to 12 X 16.5cm and rounded off the corners.

I painted on the water based inks, blending them wet in wet (working from the top down). When dry I flicked with water and lifted out colour with tissue to add texture. I also applied a circle of water and lifted it out to create the moon.

The dandelions, sentiment and foreground texture were stamped with Versafine. I lifted out some of the colour from the seed head bases).

I also used Distress Ink to stamp more texture at the base and to blend around the card edges. Black alcohol ink pen was used to edge and frame the card before mounting.

My next card was more clean and simple. The card blank was 15cm square and the blue background mat was trimmed to 14.5cm.

I used dies to cut the decorative circle (approx. 14cm diameter) and circular centre (approx. 9cm). A white paper doily would also look good if you don’t have decorative dies.

The images were stamped with Versamark and embossed with white powder. I mounted with 3D foam for added dimension. Finally finished with PVA pearls.

Bright Gerbera Cards

I adore this huge Gerbera stamp and wanted to make something really bright and cheery.

My card blank was 15cm square. I trimmed black card to 14.5cm to create the background mount, and white stamping card to 13.5cm.

The card was painted with the yellow, red and magenta inks, blending them outward from the centre. Versafine was used to stamp the images.

Oh that Gerbera!

Again I used a 15cm square card blank and trimmed a black mat to 14.5cm. The background texture was stamped with Versamark and yellow/gold mica brushed over with a soft brush. Excess mica was removed with a microfiber cloth. Versamark was then applied around the edges which were embossed with metallic gold powder.

The sentiment and leaves were stamped and embossed onto black card. An embossing pen was used to edge the sentiment plate.

The Gerbera was stamped onto acetate and shrink plastic using Stazon which were then cut out.

The back of the shrink plastic was coloured with alcohol pens before shrinking with a heat gun. Coloured pencil was used to enhance the colour on the front before covering with Glossy Accents.

The back of the acetate image was coloured with mica powders mixed with mat medium. When dry the back was then painted with the metallic acrylic.

The photo really doesn’t do justice to the shine and mica sparkle on the Gerbera. Love this one.

 

LAST OF MY CHRISTMAS MAKES

Materials List

• Hark the Christmas Rose stamp set (Chocolate Baroque)
• 15cm square card blanks
• 14cm square smooth stamping card (suitable for watercolour and/or alcohol ink colouring)
• Inkpads: Versafine for watercolouring (Majestic Blue, Vintage Sepia), Memento for alcohol ink colouring (London Fog), Distress Ink (Peeled Paint, Tattered Rose and Chipped Sapphire)
• Alcohol ink pens (I used Chameleon pens) and coloured pencils (pink, yellow and green)
• Stickles glitter glue (Crystal)

How it was done (including my boo boo)

I love these collage panel style stamps for creating quick and easy batch makes – one stamp does all the work for you. I have stamped and coloured these but they would look equally good without colouring or perhaps stamped and embossed with a pretty metallic powder. I like to use a stamping platform for batch making as it makes it easy to line up and repeat stamp in a production line.

Stamped with Majestic Blue Versafine and coloured with Distress Ink (Chipped Sapphire).

I just had to make a blue and white set. Those of you that know me will know that I love making these. However, I have been a little out of practice with my stamping and colouring this year and my first attempt was a flop – ha ha. I have shown my blooper as I thought it may be helpful if you have struggled with colouring.

This was my first attempt – eeek! Initially I tried to colour with watercolour pen and attempted blending out with a damp brush. It wouldn’t work very well and my watercolour just sucked straight into the card. This really shows the importance of choosing the correct type of card for the techniques that you wish to use. For watercolouring you need a card that will hold the pigment without it bleeding out too much, but then release it again when water is applied to allow blending and shading. This brand of card used to work well but recent batches really have not worked as well so I suspect they have changed the ‘formulation’.

As my watercolour pens were not behaving well with my card I tried switching to Distress Ink. Applying to my mat, diluting out and picking up with a damp brush. Distress Inks are specifically formulated to stay wet longer and to blend more easily. It worked out much better on this card. The two flowers on the left were my quick trial with Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink.

Another mistake I made was to go in far too heavily with the colour. I was aiming for a softer colouring more suitable for the delicate flower petals. This is achieved by using a more diluted colour and gradually building up the layers and shading.

This shows the first stage of Distress Ink colouring using very dilute ink.

Deeper colour was then added to give shading. Working more heavily on the leaves and stems helped the delicate flowers to stand out more.

The edges of the card were distressed (using the edge of my scissors) to give a soft textured border before mounting onto the card blank. Lastly sparkly glitter glue was added to the flower stamens and around the edges. Cannot have Christmas without at least a little bling.

My next set were also coloured with Distress Inks. I went quite dark on the leaves to enhance the delicate flowers.

I was pleased with the delicate vintage look.

Next I coloured with soft pastel coloured alcohol ink pens.

Again my first attempt at colouring this batch was not really what I wanted. I felt that the flowers were a bit too much, too Summery and had lost their delicacy. Despite this I mounted this one as good enough.

I was happier with this colouring for the wintery theme. Coloured pencil details (outlines, leaf & petal veins) were added in to enhance the soft colouring.

Glad to have finally finished my Christmas cards – now to get them all written up and posted.

I will be back again next week with some more stamping play x.

Wedding card created for Chocolate Baroque

Good evening. I created this wedding card using scene building stamps from Chocolate Baroque stamped onto a patterned background paper from Crafty Individuals.

Materials:

• Village Life, English Cottages, Landscape Edges (gulls), Amazing Mackintosh Words, Words to Dazzle and Sparkle stamp sets
• 6 X 6 inch card blank, Crafty Individuals background paper (Shades of Summer), mini tag
• Versafine Inkpad (Onyx Black), StazOn (black) and Dye based ink (ochre)
• Glycerine
• Coloured pencils and fine tipped pen (black)
• Stickles (Diamond)
• Sequins

How it was done:

1. The images were stamped with Versafine and coloured with pencils. The scene was extended with the fine tipped pen (to ground the images).
2. StazOn ink was used to stamp onto the mini tag as the surface was shiny.
3. The edges were inked with ochre dye ink on a sponge plus a little glycerine to help blend.
4. Finished with a little glitter glue and sequins for sparkle.

Rocking Butterflies card created for Chocolate Baroque

 

Good morning. Here is another of my show samples for the butterfly stamp bundle from Chocolate Baroque recently featured on Hochanda.

I used some hand coloured paper from my stash for the background. This was created using the shaving foam technique: Layer shaving foam onto a tray, drop and swirl inks into the surface, pick up and transfer the inks to paper.

I used dies to make the rocker card and to cut the tag and decorative leaves. The flower was created from stamped butterfly wings.

 

Materials:

• Patchwork Butterfly, Just Butterflies and Words to Dazzle and Sparkle stamp sets
• Hand coloured paper and plain card (pink and white)
• Versamark
• Embossing powder (detail white)
• Fine tipped pen (pink)
• Sparkle pens (green, pink)
• Tattered Lace dies – Circle Stepper, Tags and Branch
• PVA pearls (white) and faux gem flower (pink)

 

How to make it:

1. Cut the rocker card, layers, tag and branch using dies.
2. Stamp the sentiment onto the tag and heat emboss with white powder. Stick down layers. Add faux stitching with the fine pen and PVA pearls.
3. Stamp the large and small butterflies with Versamark, heat emboss and cut out. Stamp the butterfly wing 7 times and cut out to make the flower petals. Add colour with sparkle pens.
4. Lightly shape the butterflies and glue to the card. Shape the single butterfly wings and build into a flower. Add a faux gem to the centre. Attach to the card with branches using 3D glue gel.

Quick and Easy Floral Thank You card created for Chocolate Baroque

Here is another quick and easy card using a ready made aperture card and the flower stamp from the Spring Fairies April set (recently featured on Hochanda TV). I stamped onto watercolour card, colouring the stamp directly with watercolour pens. To activate the ink I lightly spritzed it with water just before stamping. I then used a damp brush to drag out some of the colour.

 

Check out the Chocolate Baroque Design Team Blog for more examples of quick and easy cards from my fab Teamies

 

Materials:

• April Spring Fairy, Words to Dazzle & Sparkle stamps
• A6 circle aperture card (white linen finish), watercolour card
• Versafine Inkpad (Vintage Sepia)
• Spectrum Noir Aqua Pens (green, pink, yellow)
• Satin bow

Butterfly Wishes card created for Chocolate Baroque

Good morning. Today I am sharing another of my samples for the recent shows on Hochanda.

I played with the butterfly stamp from the Spring Fairies April set. I used a stamping gear to create the wreath but you can achieve the same by drawing a circle (lightly in pencil), placing a little mark at 8 points around it and stamping freehand. Stamp and turn the card, stamp again keeping the angle of your stamp constant.

A simple wreath stamped onto a plain background, perhaps with variegated inks, would look quite pretty too.

 

Materials:

• Spring Fairy Collection (April) and Words to Dazzle & Sparkle stamp sets
• 6X 6 inch white scalloped card blank, plain card (black and white) and silver mirror card (plus ready made scalloped frame)
• Inkpads: Versamark and StazOn (Black)
• Embossing powders: white detail and silver tinsel (with glitter)
• Clear glitter glue
• Inkadinkadoo Stamping Gear

How to make it:

1. Trim the black card panel and stamp the sentiment in the centre with Versamark. Heat emboss with white powder.
2. Randomly stamp the butterfly with Versamark. Heat emboss with the silver powder. Glue to the card front along with the silver frame.
3. Stamp the butterfly wreath onto silver mirror card with StazOn ink. Cut around the outside and layer onto white card. Trim around the outside to leave a white border and cut out the centre. Layer onto the card with foam pads.
4. Finish with dots of glitter glue for added sparkle.

Katya Missing Home Card created for Chocolate Baroque

 

Good morning. Here is the last of my TV show samples using the lovely Katya stamp (recently featured on Hochanda). The idea was to create a sort of dream scene depicting Katya missing her home.

 

Materials:

• Katya, Silhouette Palaces, Babushka and Words to Dazzle & Sparkle stamp sets
• 8 X 8 inch card blank (white stamping card), copy paper to make masks
• Distress Inkpad (Tumbled Glass), Multi coloured dye based inkpad (blues & purples)
• Glitter pens (Sakura Gel – blue, purple) and sparkle pens (Spectrum Noir – teal, clear)
• Clouds stencil (Sheena Douglass)

 

How it was done:

1. I first stamped Katya 4 times onto the corners of the card, leaving ink off the bottom portion of the stamp. I chose Tumbled Glass Distress Ink to get a pale effect.
2. I cut a circle mask from copier paper. Covering the central section I then applied Distress Ink through the cloud stencil, lightly using a sponge. I coloured Katya’s headdress with glitter and sparkle pens using a water brush to get some shading.
3. I edged the card with Distress Ink and stamped the sentiment around the border.
4. Using the other part of my paper mask I covered the background leaving just the central opening to work though. I stamped and cut out the buildings from copier paper to make more masks. I first stamped the foreground image (using multi coloured ink), then covered it with the mask before stamping the next building behind. Finally I covered both foreground images and stamped the silhouette palace at the back.
5. I used the cloud stencil again to add detail to the sky area. I then coloured the images picking up ink from my mat with a water brush.
6. Finally I added a little spatter by picking up watered down ink and sparkle pen from my mat onto an old toothbrush.

Make a Wish card created for Chocolate Baroque

 

Good morning. Here is another of my TV show samples using the Katya stamp recently featured on Hochanda. I have used in in a different way to make a decorative mandala. I hope that you like it.

Materials:

• Katya and Words to Dazzle and Sparkle stamp sets
• 8 X 8 inch card blank, stamping card (white), coloured card (blue with lighter blue core)
• Multicoloured dye based inkpad (All Night Media – Berry Rainbow) and Distress Ink (Tumbled Glass)
• WOW Embossing powder (Clear Gloss)
• Spectrum Noir water based sparkle pens (blue, purple, yellow)
• Dies (circle and decorative lattice circle – Tonic)
• Decorative embossing folder (Embossalicious) and sanding block

How to make it:

1. Emboss the blue card and lightly sand to enhance the texture. Glue to the card blank.
2. Stamp Katya 4 times onto stamping card using rainbow ink. Heat emboss with the clear powder. Dye inks dry quickly so you need to add the powder immediately after stamping. Cut out the headdress to create a mandala. Colour with glitter pens adding some shading by dragging colour with a water brush. Glue to the card front.
3. Cut the decorative circle from blue card and add additional colour with sparkle pens. Cut the plain circle from white card and stamp the sentiment. Edge with Distress ink and glue to the card with 3D foam.

Baroque Meadow card and gift tag created for Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge 32

 

Good morning. Here is another of my projects for the Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge. I have used the shaving foam technique to create the swirly background for this card and tag set. I stamped the card blank with Distress Ink to create the outer background frame. The main images were stamped using Versamark and heat embossed with copper powder.

Materials:

• Baroque Meadow, Silhouette Grasses, Words to Dazzle & Sparkle stamp sets
• 17.5cm square card blank, pale blue and holographic copper card for layering, white stamping card, and gift tag
• Inkpads: Distress Ink (Tumbled Glass) and Versamark
• WOW heat embossing powder (Copper)
• Tray to fit paper, shaving foam, and water based liquid inks (greens and copper with mica)
• Fine tipped pen (pale blue)
• Piercing tool (pricking tool/bradawl), foam mat and ruler
• Organza ribbon and PVA pearls (pale blue)

How to make it:

1. Squirt a layer of shaving foam into a tray. Drop inks onto the surface and swirl over the surface with a cocktail stick. Lay card on top pressing down lightly to transfer ink. Lift off and use the edge of a ruler to lightly scrape across the card and lift away excess foam layer. Tip: Have lots of paper, card and tags etc. ready and do a whole batch at once. You will then have plenty of backgrounds in stock for future projects. Keep dropping on more inks and swirling etc. Eventually the colours will blend into the foam, and the colours will mix and become muddy. Just keep going for as long as you like the results. Muddy brown papers can be nice for cutting out branches or even Steampunk cogs etc. using dies. Another note about this technique: The papers dry smooth and with a slight sheen that is resistant to water so they are best used with stickier or solvent based inks for over stamping.
2. Stamp the card blank with the Silhouette grasses and Distress Ink. Pierce a border using a pricking tool with foam mat beneath. Add faux stitching with the fine tipped pen.
3. Cut the mats and layers for the tag and card front. Stamp the tag and topper with Versamark Ink and heat emboss with copper powder.
4. Glue layers together and add ribbons. Finish with PVA pearls.

Butterfly Shrine card created for Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge 32

Here is another project that I created for the Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge 32 this month.

I came up with this after playing with my Inkadinkadoo stamping gear (circular wheel) and the Sticks & Stones stamp set to create wreath. Similar can be achieved by drawing a circle and dividing it into 8 sections. Keeping the stamp orientation steady, stamp and turn the card between each stamping or just work more freely around a circle.

I hope that you like it, and I look forward to seeing your entries x.

Materials:

• Sticks & Stones, Silhouette Grasses, Just Butterflies, Words to Dazzle & Sparkle stamp sets
• Card: A5 white card blank, white stamping card, pale blue scrap card
• Inkadinkado stamping gear (circular wheel)
• Inkpads: Versamark, Distress (Forest Moss, Mowed Lawn, Tumbled Glass), metallic pigment (copper)
• WOW embossing powder (Copper)
• Ink spritzers: green and pale blue with mica
• Water based sparkle pens (Spectrum Noir Sparkle pens)
• Gilding wax (copper), glitter glue (copper) and PVA pearls (copper and pale blue)
• Dies: Decorative edger (Create & Craft Couture – Wild Meadow Collection), decorative circles (Tonic – Celtic Dream) and small circle die
• Corner rounder punch
• Organza ribbon (blue)

How it was made:

1. The top corners of the card blank were rounded off using a punch. The bottom strip was cut from blue card. The sentiment was stamped with Versamark ink and embossed with copper powder. The strip was then edged with gilding wax before gluing to the card base.
2. An A5 sheet of stamping card was spritzed with blue & green inks and stamped with Silhouette Grasses. The top edge was cut using the decorative trim die. The top and edges were rubbed over with gilding wax. A circular mat was cut from blue card and placed behind the decorative central motif. The background was then glued to the card front.
3. Another piece of stamping card was lightly spritzed with blue ink. The wreath was then stamped with Distress Ink using the stamping gear. The wreath was cut out with the circle die and gilding wax rubbed over the decorative edge. This was mounted to the card front with 3D foam pads.
4. The butterfly was stamped (Just Butterflies set), embossed with copper powder and coloured with sparkle pens. I cut then cut out and shaped for added dimension. The ribbon and butterfly were then glued to the card front.
5. I finished with copper PVA pearls and glitter glue on the wreath, blue PVA pearls along the base strip.