Faux Delft Ware tutorial

A while back I started having a Delft Blue craft phase. I made cards and tags inspired by the traditional Dutch Delft Blue style. As people got very excited about it, I decided to do a step by step tutorial.

This is what I use, cobalt and shadow grey archival ink. A crackle stamp, a border stamp, a focal stamp and ofcourse card stock. Oh and post its or tape. 

I stamp the crackle background first. I found that this looks better at the end. I tried it the other way round, the blue first and then the grey, but this way makes the crackle stand out more under the blue. 

I stick the post its on the corners, you can use painter's tape also. This way you control where the borders end. 

The new trims stamps by Tim Holtz are perfect for this look!

You stamp all sides. Wait till you pull away the tape/post its!! Instant tile look!

See what I mean??

Now stamp the focal image in the same blue and you have a perfect Delft Blue masterpiece!

I always like to ink the edges of my projects with walnut stain distress ink, it somehow finishes it off and gives it a vintage look.

I like to mount these on dark blue card blanks to emphasise the blue. And you are done!

Thank you for stepping by. 

Take care and keep your craft on!

Freddie

xox

Crafts Dreamy Challenge blog April

This month the mood board of the Crafts Dreamy Challenge Blog is inspired by Spring and Easter.

I created a card with a Kraft card blank. I inked over a Tim Holtz stencil with antique linen distress oxide. Then stamped the nest and the egg.
I stamped the flowers and coloured them and used the coordinating framelits to cut them out. I willed a tiny glass bottle with tumbled glass distress embossing powder and a little layer of glue. I stuck the flowers in there and then tied a paper ribbon around it. I ued the same ribbon to create a border on the bottom of the card and hot glued the bottle and its cork to the card.

Thanks you for stepping by. 

Keep your craft on :-)

Freddie

Faux negative photograph technique tutorial

I made a card the other day using one of the many techniques that Tim Holtz teaches in the Creative Chemistry 103 online card classes. I absolutely recommend all three Creative Chemistry classes Tim teaches. Creative Chemistry 101, 102 and 103 teach you to get so much more out of your supplies!! For more info click HERE and no I am not affiliated with Tim Holtz or the Online Card Classes website. I just want to share my enthousiasm. It is the best money on crafting I ever spent.

Anyhoooooo, we are here to talk about the faux negative photograph image-ing.

This background is the one I am talking about. I will show you step by step how to do it. Although I am using different stamps today. 

This technique only works on yupo paper, this is a plastic paper that works perfect with alcohol inks. I normally use these three colours for this technique. I apply them to my blending tool and felt and start blotting it on the yupo.

It just occured to me that this looks amazingly like tortoise shell!! Hmmm.... I feel an experiment coming on... 

I cover the whole piece of yupo until I am satisfied with the coverage.

This is what I ended up with. Now this has to completely dry. I always let it air dry, eventhough I am a very impatient crafter

 But the result is more beautiful if you let "nature" take its course lol.

I plan to make a collage immage using these stamps of stamp set CMS080 Artful Artifacts. 

I start out with the Romanesque face.

 You can use black archival ink, but I prefer a light grey one, so the image gets even lighter. 

You see the wet stamped image. Now you have to move quick, although the ink stays wet for quite a while, but the best results you get when the ink is very wet.

I immediately cover the image with a tissue, you could use an absorbant cloth, and press on it without shifting it. You want to lift as much ink off as possible.

As you can see I picked up quite a bit of ink, but the magic happens once we rub over the stamped image with a dry cloth or tissue. 

Put in some elbow grease and this is the result. You have the look of a vintage negative of a photograph... I could leave it like this, but I like to add to my background...

I stamped and blotted and rubbed again. 

And stamped, blotted and rubbed again. Now I can turn it into a card. 

I hope this tutorial will make you give it a try yourself. 

Thank you for stepping by, take care and keep your craft on!

Freddie

xox