Day of the Dead at Creative Expressions

Hi everyone,

Just a quick post this morning to share a card I made to celebrate the Day of The Dead, which is today, Saturday 2nd November.  This is an ancient Aztec ritual, and celebrated in Mexico still, and is similar to Halloween. In Mexican culture, death is viewed as a natural part of the human cycle. Mexicans view it not as a day of sadness but as a day of celebration because their loved ones awake and celebrate with them.  Pictures and flowers and a drink for the journey are usually placed somewhere prominent to celebrate.

Over at Creative Expressions today they are celebrating and sharing a whole host of makes, so I thought I'd show you mine.

The card was made using different coloured inks for the layered backgrounds, and edging them in alternate ink colours.  They were matted up to give definition.  I used the Sugar Skull Stamp from Andy Skinner at Creative Expressions.  The top layer is Andy's 'Create' stamp, also new out, which I inked in 3 colours and stamped several times.

I stamped the Sugar Skull once more in Black, and coloured in with Andy's new paints, these are translucent enough not to blur the stamp lines, even neat!  This makes for great layering possibilities too.

The skull was mounted on a bit of acetate for fun, so it hangs over the front panel.

Hope you like it, don't forget to check out Creative Expressions Facebook page today for more inspiration.

Best Wishes,

Nikki
xxx

Products Used:
Creative Expressions:
Andy Skinner 'Create' Stamp
Andy Skinner 'Sugar Skull' Stamp
Andy Skinner Paints in Quinacridone Gold, Cobalt Teal & Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide.

Other: Coloured Inks.

Craft Stamper Magazine - TIMI Challenge January Reminder

Morning all,

A little post from me this morning with a reminder piece for the Craft Stamper Challenge DT.  I made a very simple card using the triple stamping technique, and using the free daisy stamp from a previous cover of Craft Stamper Magazine.  I stamped in green versafine over three layers of card, then separated the card and mounted with foam mounts.

My centre consists of a piece of sequin waste, cut randomly, and covered with a domino, which I've painted with DecoArt paints, and used Andy Skinner's 'Toxic' stamp set on, for the texture on the domino and the heart.

I added a sentiment from a PaperArtsy stamp set, and edged the card in peeled paint distress ink.

Hope you like it, don't forget to join us on the main Challenge page, where you can find all the details on how to enter, and see the rest of the team's fantastic inspiration.

Best Wishes,

Nikki
xx

Craft Stamper January Challenge - Take A Stamp

Morning everyone,

Today is Craft Stamper Magazine's new challenge day, and for January it's simply 'Take a Stamp'.

Our sponsor this month is Rubber Dance Stamps:

The stamp set on offer is also featured on the cover of the February edition of the magazine, so you can see it in action! Our random winner will win this lovely set.

We also choose a Design winner, who gets publication in Craft Stamper Magazine, a GDT slot for an upcoming challenge, and a winners profile.The winners profile is a stand alone blog post, showcasing the style and work of the winner.

You can read the guidelines over on the main blog along with the challenge HERE.
My inspiration for you today is a tag, with a lovely swirled background and gold stamping.

I first put modelling paste through the Fleur medallion stencil onto a Tando tag, then painted with DecoArt's Americana chalky paint in Legacy.  Decor Crackle was painted over the top, and after that the top layer was Lace chalky paint, which crackles beautifully.  Over this I laid a wash of prussion blue hue, raw umber and quinacridone gold media paints.  Down the left hand side I stamped the text from Andy Skinner's 'Curiosity' stamp set, in Venetian Gold. 

I gave the Tando heart the same treatment, but in coastal waters multi surface paint, again with the decor crackle, then lace chalk paint on the top.  Over this I stamped from the Steampunk set in Venetian gold, and then the numbers from a stamp in the shabby set, in prussian blue hue. 

The tiny heart was painted in coastal waters, and stamped with the crackle stamp from the toxic set, again in the gold.

The wings were painted gold and all elements glued together, and a pretty ribbon added, stamped with Totally Tracy Texture stamp, to add the little dots. 

Hope you like it, hop across to the main Challenge to see lots more inspiration!  

Kindest Regards,

Nikki.

xx

Products used:

Andy Skinner Stamps: Curiosity, Toxic, Shabby, Steampunk.

DecoArt Products:

DecoArt Media fluid acrylics: Prussian Blue Hue, Raw Umber, Quinacridone Gold. Media Modelling Paste.

DecoArt Dazzling Metallics: Venetian Gold.

DecoArt Multi-surface Acrylics - Coastal Waters.

DecoArt 2oz Chalk paints - Legacy, Lace.

Fleur Medallion Stencil.