No, I'm not moving house, but I am changing blogs. Recently I have been painting rather than cardmaking and I wanted to let you know where to find me...
www.izzwizz.co.uk
Friday, 15 May 2015
Tuesday, 14 April 2015
The swallows are back!
We've had some lovely April weather here in Northern Ireland, and today I have just seen the first swallows to arrive back for the Summer. I thought you might like to see an acrylic painting on canvas...
"swallows"
Summer will arrive soon 😀
Sunday, 1 February 2015
Anything Goes at Stamping Sensations in February
This month at Stamping Sensations we are making it really easy for you to enter with "Anything Goes". That's right, you can enter anything you like as long as it has some stamping on it, and for an added incentive the winner will receive a fabulous £35 gift voucher from Little Clare Designs!
I have a really special card to share with you today that was commissioned for a very special lady who was awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours List.
Don't forget to enter the challenge to have a chance to win this fabulous prize...
I have a really special card to share with you today that was commissioned for a very special lady who was awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours List.
Don't forget to enter the challenge to have a chance to win this fabulous prize...
Monday, 26 January 2015
Pax
"Pax"
There are layers of lace, texture paste, paperclay embellishments and white diecut card stuck down to make a scene with lots of texture before the whole thing is coated with a few coats of white gesso and left to dry.
"Background texture comes from lace, paste & diecuts"
I used cheap gesso which needed quite a few coats, but I won't make that mistake again and have bought myself some better quality stuff for future projects!
"Flowers are a mixture of paper and paperclay"
Some pearls are added to some of the flowers.
"Bird and nest"
Some straw with a few flat-backed pearls makes a pretty nest for this little wooden bird.
The last step is to spray the picture with inks of different colours to highlight areas and add some interest.
Entered for the following challenges:
Sunday, 7 December 2014
Walking in a Winter Wonderland...
My goodness, time flies at this time of year. There is so much to do before Christmas, but there's still time to make a few cards and this month we are making it easy for you at Stamping Sensations. Share one of your handmade Christmas cards with the theme of "Winter Wonderland"and you could win a fabulous prize from Stamps by Chloe. Before you head on over to our challenge blog to see my teamies' wonderful creations, here's a little inspiration from yours truly...
The background uses the new distress spray stains. Texture paste is added through a stencil to make the trees, and the deer in the background stamped. The foreground deer is diecut from adhesive cork which gives a fabulous texture, and to finish it off I added one of my decorated wooden snowflakes. Have fun making your cards and we can't wait to see what you create.
The background uses the new distress spray stains. Texture paste is added through a stencil to make the trees, and the deer in the background stamped. The foreground deer is diecut from adhesive cork which gives a fabulous texture, and to finish it off I added one of my decorated wooden snowflakes. Have fun making your cards and we can't wait to see what you create.
Tuesday, 25 November 2014
Tuesday Technique - Decorating Wooden Shapes with Distress Spray Stains
Have you ever wondered what to do with those wooden embellishments that you bought (it seemed like a good idea at the time m'lud!). The new distress stains are great for this. They make it so easy to decorate a load of shapes at the same time as making some cool backgrounds for your cards.
2. Spray splodges of different coloured distress stains. I used Picket Fence first, then added Tattered Rose, Broken China and Faded Jeans.
3. Remove the shapes to a clean sheet of paper and sprinkle heat-emboss in clear. I used a clear holographic powder on these snowflakes for added sparkle. The great thing about distress stains is they stay wet for a while, so it's a perfect ink for embossing.
4. Here's the free background you created once the shapes are removed, and below are some more closeups of the snowflakes...
If you like, you can turn the shapes over and repeat the process, then add some jump rings and use them in your cards or in jewellery or ornaments, etc. I'll be sharing a card next week that features one of these snowflakes.
This is why you need a big non-stick mat (some people use a box to spray in, but I'm not that organised)! Don't worry though, it cleans off with a wipe. Oh, and don't waste all that lovely ink on the mat. Spritz with a little water and drag some card through to create another background :-)
Sunday, 2 November 2014
Christmas is coming..
...it's only November, but Christmas is just around the corner and this month at Stamping Sensations we have a nice and easy Christmas theme for you, so get started on those Christmas cards!
The background of my card is made using Tim Holtz' snowflake stamps with an embossing resist technique and Peacock Feathers distress ink. The sentiment is cut from a scrap of the decorated card, and the card itself is finished with a few gems, some ribbon and a couple of handmade stickpins.
As always, we have a fantastic prize for the winning entry on our challenge blog, which is a £35 store voucher for Little Clare designs.
The background of my card is made using Tim Holtz' snowflake stamps with an embossing resist technique and Peacock Feathers distress ink. The sentiment is cut from a scrap of the decorated card, and the card itself is finished with a few gems, some ribbon and a couple of handmade stickpins.
As always, we have a fantastic prize for the winning entry on our challenge blog, which is a £35 store voucher for Little Clare designs.
Saturday, 18 October 2014
A Goldfish Bowl
This card was a lot of fun to make!
I started by making a box from white card and cutting the aperture before decorating the front with some wood patterned paper and blue distress inks. Some acetate was sealed behind the aperture and the background sealed in place.
The background actually started out as this inked scene...
I wanted something really colourful, and found this in my "ones I prepared earlier" file lol! Anyway, I used a Sizzix stamp and emboss set over the top of this together with some clear heat-embossing to create the "fronds", and went over the whole thing with darker inks to mimic the bottom of the sea. It was cut down to size to fit the base of the box, and the fish were attached using little strips of acetate and dabs of glossy accents so they wiggle when you move the box.
Before glueing the lid down, some little drops of glossy accents are added to the acetate and some seed beads and shells glued into the base of the box to look like the bottom of the bowl.
The white box is wrapped in a brown card wrapper decorated with door stamps heat-embossed in gold.
"A Goldfish Bowl"
I started by making a box from white card and cutting the aperture before decorating the front with some wood patterned paper and blue distress inks. Some acetate was sealed behind the aperture and the background sealed in place.
"Fish"
The background actually started out as this inked scene...
"Inked Scene"
I wanted something really colourful, and found this in my "ones I prepared earlier" file lol! Anyway, I used a Sizzix stamp and emboss set over the top of this together with some clear heat-embossing to create the "fronds", and went over the whole thing with darker inks to mimic the bottom of the sea. It was cut down to size to fit the base of the box, and the fish were attached using little strips of acetate and dabs of glossy accents so they wiggle when you move the box.
"Fish!"
Before glueing the lid down, some little drops of glossy accents are added to the acetate and some seed beads and shells glued into the base of the box to look like the bottom of the bowl.
"Shells"
The white box is wrapped in a brown card wrapper decorated with door stamps heat-embossed in gold.
"Happy Birthday"
Sunday, 5 October 2014
Warm Autumn Colours - October at Stamping Sensations
Wow, October is here already. What a wonderful warm September we have had here in Northern Ireland, and the trees are looking fantastic in all their Autumn glory, so what better inspiration than nature for this month's theme at Stamping Sensations and we are asking you to produce something with "Warm Autumn Colours". Share your creation on the challenge blog and you have a chance to win a fabulous prize from Imagination Crafts.
For my project this time I chose to make an easel card a la Sue Wilson. You can make the front of the card any size you like (as long as you have an envelope to fit!), and then just adhere an easel stand to the back cut using the Tim Holtz Sizzix Bigz easel die.
I started with a piece of faded orange backing paper from DCVW Pumpkin Patch, then overstamped with some of my favourite meadow stamps, colouring some in and creating a leafy frame. Various autumnal shades of archival inks are used to give some depth.
The bird is stamped from a Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz set in archival, and overpainted using watercolour paints. I love the effect you get using this technique, which allows some of the stamp detail to show through the translucent paint. The branch and tree trunk are painted in by hand to match, using the same colours as the bird to tie the scene together.
I matted and layered onto gold and brown cardstock and could have left it like this...
... but instead diecut a lot of leaves from Pumpkin Patch patterned paper and used them to decorate the frame giving the feel of a bird peeping through the leaves.
For my project this time I chose to make an easel card a la Sue Wilson. You can make the front of the card any size you like (as long as you have an envelope to fit!), and then just adhere an easel stand to the back cut using the Tim Holtz Sizzix Bigz easel die.
The bird is stamped from a Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz set in archival, and overpainted using watercolour paints. I love the effect you get using this technique, which allows some of the stamp detail to show through the translucent paint. The branch and tree trunk are painted in by hand to match, using the same colours as the bird to tie the scene together.
I matted and layered onto gold and brown cardstock and could have left it like this...
... but instead diecut a lot of leaves from Pumpkin Patch patterned paper and used them to decorate the frame giving the feel of a bird peeping through the leaves.
Sunday, 21 September 2014
Small frame
This small frame is decorated with diecuts, paper flowers, paperclay embellishments and texture paste, covered with a couple of coats of good quality gesso, then sprayed with water-based inks to decorate.
The inner scene is stamped with a Heartfelt Creations stamp, coloured and set into the matching Chateau Gate die. Bricks are added to the scene by pushing texture paste through a stencil and allowing to dry before inking. I added a thin wash of gesso over the scene to tone it all down to match the frame.
Sorry for the washed-out photos. The pictures came out too dark and I tried to rememdy by increasing the brightness. I'm finding photography a bit challenging with the deterioration in my eyesight, I'm not too sure what I've snapped until I see it on the big computer screen, but I'm learning. Next time this happens, I'll take the photos again :-)
The inner scene is stamped with a Heartfelt Creations stamp, coloured and set into the matching Chateau Gate die. Bricks are added to the scene by pushing texture paste through a stencil and allowing to dry before inking. I added a thin wash of gesso over the scene to tone it all down to match the frame.
Sorry for the washed-out photos. The pictures came out too dark and I tried to rememdy by increasing the brightness. I'm finding photography a bit challenging with the deterioration in my eyesight, I'm not too sure what I've snapped until I see it on the big computer screen, but I'm learning. Next time this happens, I'll take the photos again :-)
Sunday, 7 September 2014
Things With Wings - September at Stamping Sensations
This month at Stamping Sensations we are asking you to submit projects with the theme "Things with Wings". This can be anything you like, even fairies or angels, but I went with the obvious and chose birds and butterflies.
The background is inked with my favourite subtle distress colours and overstamped using lots of different nature stamps and a grey archival ink.
The vintage graphics bird and butterfly are dipped in clear, melted UTEE before adhering to the card with Pinflair glue gel.
The honeycomb frame is cut (using the new Tim Holtz die) from old cardboard packaging, sanded and stained with metallic distress stain. Inner pieces are added from spare pieces of the background stamped card.
That is so true!
Well, that's my Stamping Sensations "Thing With Wings" Design Team piece for the month. I do hope you will visit the blog to see my team mates' creations, and enter our challenge. As always, we have a fantastic prize. This month, Crafty Devils are offering the winner a massive gift voucher to spend on anything in their store, so why not go have a browse and dream what you could spend the winnings on :-) Maddy x
"Things With Wings"
The background is inked with my favourite subtle distress colours and overstamped using lots of different nature stamps and a grey archival ink.
"UTEE Bird"
The vintage graphics bird and butterfly are dipped in clear, melted UTEE before adhering to the card with Pinflair glue gel.
"Honeycomb die cut"
The honeycomb frame is cut (using the new Tim Holtz die) from old cardboard packaging, sanded and stained with metallic distress stain. Inner pieces are added from spare pieces of the background stamped card.
"It's the Little Things that Make Life BIG"
That is so true!
Well, that's my Stamping Sensations "Thing With Wings" Design Team piece for the month. I do hope you will visit the blog to see my team mates' creations, and enter our challenge. As always, we have a fantastic prize. This month, Crafty Devils are offering the winner a massive gift voucher to spend on anything in their store, so why not go have a browse and dream what you could spend the winnings on :-) Maddy x
Saturday, 2 August 2014
Anything Goes in August at Stamping Sensations
"Anything Goes" this month, so I'm sharing something very different, a pair of altered shoes! I couldn't resist a pair of comfy Clarks shoes at a tenner in their sale, but I'm really not ready for beige shoes. They had a lovely nubuck finish which is just ideal for stamping on, so I got out my new birthday stamps from Crafty Individuals and set about changing the look...
There are lots more pictures to share!
Of course, shoes have to look like a matching pair, so I was careful to repeat the stamping on both shoes.
And again on the outside edges.
These tiny meadow stamps are just perfect for the velcro straps.
And a butterfly always makes a great focal point :-)
I used Ranger Archival ink for nice, crisp images that hopefully should resist the water (not that it rains in Ireland...)
...and stamped without using an acrylic block, just holding the stamp and pressing onto the shoe.
My Nan (you know, the one who was a cross between Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax who alwyas said she wasn't superstitious) wouldn't let us put our shoes on the table because it was bad luck. I thought of her while I was taking the photographs!
Anyway, I hope you can join in with our challenge this month. You can share anything you like, as long as stamping is the main element. The winner will receive a fantastic prize from Tonic...
The newly released Twisted Twine 674e and 584e, together worth nearly forty pounds!
"Altered Shoes"
There are lots more pictures to share!
Of course, shoes have to look like a matching pair, so I was careful to repeat the stamping on both shoes.
And again on the outside edges.
These tiny meadow stamps are just perfect for the velcro straps.
And a butterfly always makes a great focal point :-)
I used Ranger Archival ink for nice, crisp images that hopefully should resist the water (not that it rains in Ireland...)
...and stamped without using an acrylic block, just holding the stamp and pressing onto the shoe.
My Nan (you know, the one who was a cross between Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax who alwyas said she wasn't superstitious) wouldn't let us put our shoes on the table because it was bad luck. I thought of her while I was taking the photographs!
Anyway, I hope you can join in with our challenge this month. You can share anything you like, as long as stamping is the main element. The winner will receive a fantastic prize from Tonic...
and
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