More Stencilling and a 20% Discount

Me again, with my final set of creations for Artistic Flair Crafts. 

My first card today features the Seabed stencil.

Using the same simple technique as before with distress inks, but just inking up a portion of the stencil rather than the whole thing.  I also added Wink of Stella glitter to the coloured areas. Those cute n' cuddly fish (!?) are from Avery Elle's 'That Bites' stamp set and are coloured with Zig markers.

Now this was the card that kept me up all night, wondering how else I could use that Seabed stencil. I had the idea of balloons going round and around my head. I think I pulled it off...just. (lol)

I coloured a few sections with watercolour pencils, removed the stencil and added Glossy Accents. That adorable hippo and sentiments are from Clearly Besotted. 

For my final card in this series, I used the Mosaic Texture stencil again but this time with embossing paste. I added colour by splodging an ink pad onto my acetate and then mixing in some paste with a spatula.

Don't forget to remove your stencil and wash asap. The embossing paste leaves a kinda foamy texture when dry. Hard to explain but I think you can see in the images above (sorry about the fuzzy photo).

So there you go. 

I hope I've inspired you to try out some of the stencils at Artistic Flair Crafts. If you scroll down you will see other posts and ideas that I've been sharing over the past few days. I've got more stencils still to try out soon, so watch this space.

Don't forget I still have a special discount code for followers of my blog. You can get 20% off your order at Artistic Flair Crafts by using the following code.

JANEYSCARDS (UK Crafters)

JANEYSCARDSUSA (USA Crafters)

JANEYSCARDSEUR (European Crafters)

Enjoy!!!!

Day 4 - Artistic Flair Crafts Stencils

Hello again!

For the past few days I have been highlighting some of the amazing stencils from Artistic Flair Crafts. You can scroll down for earlier posts and an introduction to this fresh, new company.

For my 2 cards today I started with a single piece of card and cut it in 2 with one of MFT's Stitched Cloud Edge dies.

For the card above I used the Mosaic Texture stencil with a selection of brown Distress Inks. I then added some Wink of Stella sparkle, a sentiment from Winnie & Walter and a few sequins to finish. I stuck the panel on with foam-tape for a bit of dimension.

I love this 'giraffey' look.

On the other half of the card I used the Daisy Background stencil with more pinky / purpley Distress Inks. I added some clear beady-things to the flower centres and this time a sentiment from Paper Smooches. 

In case you didn't know, I have a special 20% discount off everything at Artistic Flair Crafts. 

JANEYSCARDS    (UK Crafters)
JANEYSCARDSUSA    (USA Crafters)
JANEYSCARDSEUR   (European Crafters)

Enjoy!!!

Hooked on Stencils - Day 3, Plus 20% Discount

Cooooeeeeey!

Welcome back to Day 3 of crafting with stencils from Artistic Flair Crafts.

For my first card today I used the Dot Waves stencil and Nuvo Crystal Drops in a rainbow of colours. The sentiment is from MFT. I'm going to make more of these cards in other colours... I love it!

All of the stencils I've been using over the past few days, here and here, have been 6"×6" but Artistic Flair Crafts also has stencils in other other sizes, including A4 (brilliant for scrapbooking, larger cards or even home decor) as well as smaller sizes suitable for cakes and cookies.

This is a smaller cake stencil called Wild Garden. As you can see, the pattern measures 3"×3" so even on a 6"×6" card it makes a perfect centrepiece. Coloured again with Distress Inks and then die-cut with a stitched circle die.

Don't forget I still have an exclusive discount of 20% off everything at Artistic Flair Crafts. 

Just use the code...

JANEYSCARDS   (UK Crafters)

JANEYSCARDSUSA   (USA Crafters)

JANEYSCARDSEUR   (European Crafters)

Let me know if you've been tempted, I'd love to know which ones you've bought.

Artistic Flair Crafts' Stencils and 20% Discount

Ahoy and welcome back to Day 2 of stencilling with Artistic Flair Crafts' beautiful stencils. If you missed my introduction to this fresh, new company then click here for details and further samples.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner I thought I'd go all mushy and make Much Beloved a card. He walked past me about a dozen times while I was making this but I'm hoping he didn't realise what I was up to.

I used the Circle of Love stencil with Distress Inks and Liquitex Super Heavy Gloss Gel again (I can't get enough of this stuff...a little goes a long way and you get tonnes in the pot!) Just don't forget to wash it off the stencil before it dries.

I just love the kinda jelly-like effect you get when it's dried.

The sentiment is from Winnie & Walter.

This stencil could be used for so many occasions, it's so versatile.

This was a nice simple one to make using the Droplets stencil.

I went for girlie, pink colours and used the entire stencil but you could turn this into splashes on a water themed card or tiny leaves or petals. Now you see why I don't sleep at night ... I can't stop thinking about a million other uses for all of these stencils.

The 'Hugs' die was from My Favorite Things and I added glittery highlights to each droplet with a Wink of Stella pen.

Honestly, these stencils should come with a health warning ... they are highly addictive.

Don't forget I also have a special offer exclusive to readers of my wee bloglet.

Get 20% off your order at Artistic Flair Crafts by using the code

JANEYSCARDS   (UK Crafters)

JANEYSCARDSUSA   (USA Crafters)

JANEYSCARDSEUR   (European Crafters)

Enjoy!!!!

Sensational Stencils Plus a Fabulous 20% Discount

Hello! 

I recently came across a new company (new to me anyway) called Artistic Flair Crafts who specialise in stencils. I bought a couple to try out, fell in love and bought a few (ahem!) more. I'm really excited to be sharing over the next few days, a selection of the cards I've made using the stencils PLUS a fabulous discount offer, but first, if you've not heard of them before, allow me to introduce....

'Artistic Flair Crafts are a fresh new company that specialise in affordable luxury craft and cake stencils as well as wooden embellishments for all your creative projects. The company began when Rachel was working as a cake decorator. She often thought that she could make an easier and quicker way to decorate her cakes…so she decided to hand draw and cut stencils that she could use over and over again. Soon Rachel began to expand her range to include stencils for her other creative hobbies, like scrapbooking and card making…then Artistic Flair Crafts was born. All designs are still hand drawn and now intricately laser cut, always ensuring that they make high quality products with low price tags.'

This beautiful 6"×6" stencil is called Fallen Leaves. 

I started by taping down the stencil over a 6" × 6" piece of white card with low-tack masking tape and used daubers to apply a selection of lush green Distress Ink colours. I then dabbed some FlitterGlu about and added some Lime Green Deco Foil highlights. You don't need a fancy laminator to use this foil, FlitterGlu works perfectly!! 

This stencil is going to be brilliant for cards throughout the year as you can change the colours to match the season.

This is just another quick sample (which hasn't been made up into a card yet or been given a background colour). This time I used Liquitex Super Heavy Gloss Gel on the stencil and sprinkled flakes of 'glittery stuff' in it before it dried (sorry I can't remember what it's called). You could use glitter or embossing powder, anything you like. Just peel the stencil off and wash it before the gel dries!!! This makes a fabulous iced leaf effect, great for winter or Christmas cards.

Now this stencil is STUNNING! It's the beautifully named Butterfly Burst.

I taped the stencil down again first and added colour with a rainbow of Distress Inks using daubers. I then added a shimmer of glitter with a Wink of Stella pen and a few sequins.

I hope you will come back tomorrow as I have so many more samples to share with you. In fact these stencils are keeping me awake at night as my head buzzes with ideas on how to use them.

Before I go, here's an amazing offer for you.

GET 20% off your order at Artistic Flair Crafts using this discount code.

JANEYSCARDS   (UK Crafters)

JANEYSCARDSUSA   (USA Crafters)

JANEYSCARDSEUR   (European Crafters)

See you tomorrow.

Mega Cheap Stamp Cleaner

There are lots of products out there for cleaning our stamps, like Wet Ones (other supermarket brands are available... lol) but I know a lot of people like me find that they leave tiny fibres on our stamps.

I have tried this, the Scrubber Pad from Hero Arts, along with ... 

... their Ultra Clean fluid, but after a while I find the pad is so full of ink that I still need paper towels and a further spray of the fluid directly onto my stamp to fully clean it.

I know there are 'official' Stamp Shammy cloths available but I have found a cheap alternative in the UK that you might be interested in.

This is a car chamois cloth from Poundland (UK), so costs £1.00. It's about 14" x 11" and I cut it into 4 pieces, each about 7" x 5.5" (so 25p per cloth!!!!!!). I ran one bit under the tap to dampen it and now keep it on my craft desk in a little box to stop it drying out. 

If it does dry out then it goes hard but that's no problem, run it under the tap again to soften it, I just keep it in a box so it's always available.

It cleans my stamps perfectly, first time, every time. The ink doesn't gunk up the cloth, it just absorbs it...no inky fingers, no inky build up and no fibres stuck to my stamps. 

Here's the piece I'm using at the mo', as mucky as it is, none of the ink transfers onto my fingers and it still cleans my stamps. 

I also tried this cloth from Wilkinsons (UK), another synthetic chamois cloth. It measures approx' 15" x 13", so can be cut into about 6 pieces and at £1.25, this is another bargain buy. It needs rinsing through before using as it has a 'soapy' feel to it, but just run it under the tap first and you're good to go.

Both cloths are brilliant for cleaning stamps. 

I hope you find this useful.

Recycled Shopping Bags - dotcomgiftshop

Something a bit different today... groovy shopping bags.

Not just ordinary shopping bags...oh no...these bags are made from recycled plastic bottles and I got them from dotcomgiftshop.com.

There are several styles of bag to choose from in a fabulous range of colours and patterns. The bags I bought, in the designs above, are about 34cm wide, 15cm deep and 40cm high and were £2.95 or less (some were in a sale). 

If I can bear to part with any, I'm going to give some away as Christmas stocking fillers as we all need reusable bags these days and they are pretty darned stylish.

Some of the designs are also available on other products, so for example I've bought my geography-mad daughter (for Christmas...Shh...don't tell) a shopping bag, ring binder and a phone case to match in the World Map design. 

This is my favourite... the Flamingo and if you click here you will see all of the other products with this brilliant Flamingo pattern.

I just LOVE it!!

I really encourage you to check out dotcomgiftshop, they have some unique gift ideas from dog collars, tableware and bags to wrapping paper, garden accessories and toys. 

This watering-can is on my wishlist!!!!

I keep dropping subtle hints like 'oh.... (insert heavy sigh).... if only I had a flamingo watering can, my life would be sooooooo much easier' (subtle huh!?). Plus I think it'd look pretty cool on my kitchen windowsill.

If you sign up for their newsletter you can get FREE DELIVERY on UK orders over £20.

Nuvo Crystal Drops by Tonic Review

I know, I know! 

Nuvo Crystal Drops from Tonic have been around for yonks. I am, as per, late to the party but hey! That's how I roll.

I should point out that I have not been asked, bribed or given any of these pots of lush, luciousness to review. I have only just discovered them, having had my crafty head buried in the sand, so this review is only intended for my fellow 'late to the party' crafting amigos.

So first up, you need them all...yes ALL of them. It's the law. You will get away with owning just one or two for a short while, but eventually the police will turn up at your door demanding to see your full collection, so be warned.

Before we get on to the contents of those plastic bottles, let's look at the lids.

If you're not a crafter then buy them just for lids people!!!

I swear they're the finest cut diamonds on top and not fake glass imitations.

If you are a crafter then the contents of the bottles are an added bonus.

There are about 50 colours in the collection in either a gloss, pearly or glittery finish. If you like using enamel dots, glitter or pearl gems on your crafty projects then you need these (plus it's the law to own them ALL remember!) 

Each bottle holds 30ml / 1fl oz.

You can create a dot in any size and apply direct to your project or make them up on a craft sheet, leave to dry overnight, then peel them off the next day ready to stick on with a blob of glue.

They form into perfect enamel shaped domes; no peaking, splodging or odd shapes and they'll save you an absolute fortune compared to enamel dot packs (plus the law states every household must have them, remember!) 

There's even a Clear colour option that looks like rain drops. If you add a drop of Clear immediately on top of a colour it creates a perfect two-tiered dome effect.

Now I must apologise at this stage for my dreadful photography and colour images. I was trying (and failed miserably) to show you the true colours up close but that shouldn't really matter. You need / have to own the WHOLE collection anyway.

There are a tonne of videos out there with brilliant tips n' inspiration on using these bottles of fabness, from creating different 'blob' shapes to mixing colours. 

 In summary, Nuvo Crystal Drops are the meaning to life, the Universe and Everything. (Think that sums it up!)

I got mine from Cutting Edge Crafts as they were cheaper than everywhere else on the planet at £1.89 per bottle.

Go get yours before the cops call.