I’ve had this stamp in my stash for a little while (Chocolate Baroque Indian Textiles)- and it was still unopened and unused.  I absolutely love the detail in the stamp and just hadn’t had the opportunity to play with it!

I created the background with Alcohol Inks -Yellow, Red Pepper and Orange – keeping a firey colour palette.

Next I stamped that amazingly detailed pattern border – and I even managed to stamp it straight for a change!

I placed some copy paper over it once dry and stamped my flower (the paper meant I didn’t overstamp the flower stems onto the border) – but I mucked up big time.  The flower on the left slipped as I was stamping it (one of the hiccups of stamping with archival onto glossy cardstock).  I was so disappointed.  it looked all thick lines and blotchy.  But, you know me, very rarely admit defeat and throw something away so I carried on stamping the pattern around the outside whilst the middle dried.

Out came the gel pens – white silver and gold, and by the time I had added highlights to the flower – it really wasn’t obvious that I had mucked up – hurrah!

So my lesson for today is to keep going.   Don’t assume a stamping mishap is the ruin of your design.  Have a bit of a play more and see if you can hide, disguise or accent it.  If all else failed, I would have at least cut off the strip at the bottom and used on another piece – it was too nice to waste!!

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

I will be at the Suffolk Papercrafting show on 26th June at Bury St Edmunds.  Tickets are available from Keep on Crafting in Bury St Edmunds.

This is such a lovely stamp – it has so much detail in it.  Whenever I use it I try to keep my composition quite simple so you can appreciate it fully.  It is Chocolate Baroque Birdcage Collage.  I have created my background using Alcohol Inks.  The stamp is stamped with Archival black and set aside to dry.  Around the outside I stamped a leaf design using a stamp from another set using Fern Green Archival to create a subtle frame.

Next the fun bit.  Sitting highlighting the details using white, silver and gold gel pens.  Very relaxing!  This was created in my recent Alcohol Inks workshop – and was so well received by my students I was asked to put it onto a card straight away so she could buy it for a birthday the next day!

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk

Have been having a play with my alcohol inks.  I just love the vibrancy of colours when I work with them.  I was challenged by a customer to create something with the Chocolate Baroque Landscape Edges stamp as they really loved the design but couldn’t quite picture how to use it.

I started by applying Orange, Yellow and Lake Mist Alcohol Inks to create a gorgeous sunset (sunrise?) type background.

The stamps were then stamped using Archival Black ink (be careful as they are large area stamps and stamping onto glossy cardstock can be slippy!).  Leave aside to dry (it will take a little while as you are stamping onto glossy).  Add a few highlights with a white gel pen.  A really quick, simple design but oh so lovely!  I think my favourite detail is the white highlights on the fence… it just brings it to life!

happy crafting

Jane

www.aldridgecrafts.co.uk