Moonshadow Ink Technique

It's been a funny old day today one way or another, but I am pleased to say that Kay's second new stamp sheet is now in production!

I've been out in the garden earlier this evening, (briefly as it is wet and cold here), playing frisbee with Hamish who decided that a wide shallow plant pot holder needs playing with and is now his new toy. I managed not to throw it over the garden fence!

Anyway, back to cards.... Moonshadow Inks are another favourite of mine that work the same way as Starburst Stains.

The main difference between the 2 products is that Moonshadow ink has Walnut Ink as a base with colour coming from the Mica Pigment Powders, whereas Starburst Stains are pretty colours and mica mixes.

I find Moonshadow Inks are ideal to use for cards for men and any vintage work, (not just cards).

Moonshadow inks hold a much more dramatic pattern as the walnut ink and mica separate more than the stains giving a more defined edge to a splodge (IYKWIM!)

This is one of the first cards I made with the Moonshadow Inks, (probably about 7-8 years ago), I did little splodges with a detail paint brush and this photograph is a good example to show you as it really shows the Mica colours.

Another point it shows is the difference between allowing the inks to dry naturally or drying with a heat gun. You can see definite edges around the splodges of the back background as this was allowed to air dry which enabled time for the ink and mica to separate before they dried. The upper background was dried with a heat gun and it gives a more overall shimmer with a softer look.

We have Moonshadow Inks on special offer at the moment so it is a great time to try them out. I'll be showing more techniques and ideas with them as we go along.

Thank you to everyone who has joined our blog today.

Now it's time for something to eat

Jill x

Thank You!

Thank you everyone that has joined our blog today, I've been busy emailing, getting more bits together to post here and looking at your blogs this evening.

Meanwhile Debbie has added a slide show at the bottom of the page showing photos of sections of our shop that she took today. Thanks Debbie, it's great!!!

I have been in contact with Kay tonight, as she has now finished the 2nd new stamp sheet. The first new sheet went into production today, I cannot wait to try them out, they are lovely! Kay is now finishing the 3rd sheet so we're all getting there! By the time they arrive I should have worked out how to offer blog candy, so watch this space!

Anyone going to the HSNW show at Port Sunlight, Wirral next weekend? If so, please come and say hello. I'm not sure what I am going to demonstrate yet as you never know I may have Kay's new stamps to play with (fingers are all crossed for this!). I also may demonstrate a new idea that I've still to try (yes, it WILL be a messy one), maybe I can combine the idea with the new stamps! I'll have a chat with Kay and see if we can both give you a sneaky peak on our blogs of one or two of the new designs

Hamish has been up to his usual trick tonight, he had a perfectly fresh bowl of water to drink from but decided to drink the horrid water in our pond instead, must like it being more tasty! Talking of bad habits, he's grown out of this one now (thank goodness) but I couldn't resist showing you these photos, he was 8 weeks old and decided to have a schnoooze in my old comfy shoes, glad he thought they were comfy too. I PROMISE that there will be more crafting pics than photos of my dog here but I just love these photos!!!

Anyway, enough for tonight, more tomorrow....

Jill x

Hamish

This is our Springer Spaniel Hamish, (he is Scottish and was already named when we got him). It's probably why he doesn't understand what we are saying to him sometimes!

He was a pup in the photos but as he has just celebrated his 3rd birthday this month I thought I'd let you see him.

I must take some more photos of him, but anyone with a Springer Spaniel will know it is hard to keep them still long enough to take photos of them! He got himself into a right mess in the garden and had to have his first bath, he loves water as long as it's a pond, river or lake and not in a plastic tub!

He's a real happy chappy, but can be quite a handful!!!

Aspects of Design Distressed Corners and Borders Stamp Sheet

This is another stamp sheet designed by Tracey Coates, I will be showing cards made with it another time.

Aspects of Design 55 Butterfly Garden Stamp Sheet

Here are the images on the Butterfly Garden stamp sheet that was designed by Tracey Coates.

Another Tag Book with French Country Starburst Stains

Here's another tag book, I've used Moonglow Fusible Webbing on the panel showing on the first picture with white detail embossing powder to create a lacy effect.

French Country and Lace Tag Book

I used the French Country Starburst Stains to create the backgrounds in this book, I misted through a doily for some of the backgrounds and them used the coloured doily as well.

I embossed the large lace background stamp onto white vellum using white detail embossing powder. Some of the pages have the lace border designs that are embossed with Venus Violet Blue Moonglow Embossing Powder as well as the white detail. I can spot a noodle brush background that has been embossed with the same EP.

The front cover is acetate stamped with white Stazon ink with words from the Aspects of Design Butterfly Garden sheet. I coloured some of the ribbon with the stains so that it would co-ordinate with the book and added some charms.

Prairie Wildflower Tag Book

This tag book was made using Prairie Wildflowers Starburst Stains combined with the Agapanthus stamps and the Butterfly Garden stamp sheet (which I am also finding very versatile). I've used different techniques to create the backgrounds and have chopped up one of the wording phrases and popped them in order throughout the book. I used some of the greeting stamps on the sheet on the last tag in the book, so that it is not just a book to look at, it's a useful book that can be given for an occasion.

Agapanthus Stamps

These 3 stamps really are versatile, I love them!!

More Agapanthus...

This is an A4 card made with French Country Starburst Stains. I splodged some stains onto a non-stick craft sheet then swished white card on the mat to pick up the colour. I then misted it as well.

I made the UTEE embellishment with Moonglow Embossing Powders

Agapanthus Tag Card

I've used the Agapanthus Cluster stamp as the main image and the blossom word from the Butterfly Garden Stamp sheet. The Sissix scalloped tag is adorned with lavender gingham ribbon and some fluffy white yarn.

French Country Agapanthus Card

I've embossed the Agapanthus Bloom stamp with White Detail embossing powder for the main image and the Agapanthus Cluster on vellum for the background. The background colour is made with the French Country Starburst Stains.

Agapanthus Bloom and Butterfly Garden stamps

I've used another of collection of Agapanthus stamps, this time the Agapanthus Bloom. The wording is again from the Butterfly Garden Stamp Sheet. I've used the French Country Starburst Stains this time, (another of my favourite sets). For the embossing I've used Moonglow Venus Violet Blue and then White Detail on the Vellum wrap. The curly clip helps hold it in place.

Prairie Wildflower Starburst Stains & Butterfly Garden Stamp

I decided to make a HUGE card with some more of the papers I'd made with the Prairie Wildflower Starburst Stains. I used the new Tim Holtz Flourish Mask and sprayed, splattered and splodged onto an A4 piece of card. I removed the mask and sprayed again to take away some of the white where the mask had been. I stamped the smaller filigree butterfly stamp with white Stazon ink onto the acetate panel. The border is the scrunch technique. I misted a piece of white card then when dry I embossed the large filigree butterfly with Moonglow Morning Glory Azure Teal embossing powder. The words are from the same stamp sheet and the vellum is attached with white brads. I used a wide organza ribbon, threaded through a ribbon to hide the joins in the panel.

Prairie Wildflower with Agaphanthus Long stamp

The first card I am adding is a simple design where I used some of my favourite things, these being Starburst Stains and one of the 3 Agapanthus stamps from Stampendous.

I used the Prairie Wildflower set of stains for the first time recently. From the colour charts I made of all the sets it wasn't one that leapt out and said "try me". Also, it was neglected as I was too busy playing with all the other yummy sets. Anyhow, I was truly amazed at the variety of colours I achieved from the set, not surprising really as it contains primary colours, but I just hadn't focused on it's potential. I demonstrated with this set at the Harrogate Papercraft show in March and came home with a huge variety of background papers in various shades of greens, browns, pinks, purples.

I am into lime and purple at the moment so this card got me warmed up to make the tag book that I will be adding here another time. I took the words that are embossed on the vellum from one of our latest stamps sheets, Butterfly Garden (designed by Tracey Coates). The front of the card is covered with a piece of scrunch paper, and the topper has been misted. I embossed the design with Moonglow Venus Violet Blue embossing powder.

Ha ha! Now you can see how much I can ramble on... even for a simple card!!

Welcome

There's not much to see here at the moment, but please call back another time, as I will be adding more soon, using lots of yummy and messy stuff that you can see in this picture!

If you wish to view some of our previous artwork now then please visit our gallery

Plus, our online shop has lots of goodies to browse through.



Jill Tuck