Lynda's Crafty Hall: 2023

Thursday 7 December 2023

Into the Woods

I love to walk in the forest and I feel so fortunate to have some beautiful woodland right on my doorstep so it's something I do regularly. Getting outside and enjoying nature really makes me happy and allows me time and space to pause and reflect on life, and that's where the inspiration for this weeks project for Visible Image came from.

I began by laying some Distress ink on my craft mat, spritzing with water and then picking the ink up onto the bird from the Time Flies stencil and pressing it onto watercolour card.

The next step was to create the sky. Once the ink was dry I covered the image with the stencil and blended Distress Oxide inks around it, adding some darker shading just around the edge of the stencil to help the image pop.

Then using a stamping platform I stamped the trees from Into The Woods, first stamping in Distress Oxide to give a lighter image in the background and add depth, and then the more detailed stamp was layered over the top and stamped in black ink. I also added the small birds, again stamping in a light oxide to place them in the background.

The sentiment is from the brilliant Happiness Matters set. I stamped this directly on the card and added white highlights with a gel pen.

Do check out Visible Image on the links below. As always my very talented team mates are busy sharing gorgeous inspiration and we also love to see what you are creating too in the Facebook group.

Visible Image Youtube Channel

This is the last post from me before the Christmas break, so I will take this opportunity to say Merry Christmas. I hope you all have a wonderful time however you choose to spend it.

See you in the New Year!

Lynda

Products Used

Happiness Matters

Time Flies

Into The Woods

Thursday 23 November 2023

Oz Scarecrow

This weeks inspiration for Visible Image uses stamps from one of my all time favourite collections- the OZ collection. They are just so darned cute! ( and as a side note you can find them in the incredible Black Friday sale over on the website right now- but hurry!)

I wanted to create a simple background for my Scarecrow so opted for Distress Ink in Scattered Straw and Rusty Hinge. I applied a layer of the yellow to cover the card, and then worked some of the darker shade through the Fibres stencil, moving it around to ensure plenty of texture and depth.

I then added a hessian effect border with one of the stamps from Mesh-ellaneous and Archival Ink. These are such a useful one to have in the stash!

I already had my scarecrow die cut and coloured up with alcohol markers, and before I adhered him and the other elements I stamped the little triangle equation over the background.

I just love the sentiment with this set. Its a great reminder to us all to look at things from other perspectives don't you think?

Do check out the Black Friday sale if you fancy a little treat. There are so many great deals on stamps, stencils and dies. As a crafter I genuinely think it's the best sale there is!

Website

Visible Image Youtube Channel

Products Used

Oz Co - ordinating Dies

Mesh-ellaneous

Fibres stencil

Thursday 9 November 2023

Sing Like No One's Listening

Everyone loves music and I think most of us know somebody who just loves to sing their heart out. Today's project for Visible Image is for all those people who enjoy just that!

I began my card with an inky background created with Dinkles powders in yello and orange tones. Using the Superstar stencil I lay the centre star down and blended distress inks around it.

I used tones that reflected stage lighting and gave some depth to the background.

I then lifted some ink with a splatter brush and water.

When dry, I stamped and embossed the music notes stamps, being careful to position them so that it they appeared to be coming from my singers mouth.

I then positioned her, using a stamping platform, and also created a mask for her dress as I wanted to stamp that in a different colour.

I inked her top and bottom half and heat embossed.

Next I carefully inked the dress in embossing ink and applied embossing glitter powder and melted it to give her a sparkly dress.

I then took the outer section of the Superstar stencil, and used a Versamark pen to go through the rays, being sure to go around the singer, and embossed in gold.

I also stamped and embossed the microphone in the corner. Some gel pen highlights helped make the whole thing pop , and I added the sentiment and mounted onto black card. A few sequins adhered with Glossy accents added some extra showbiz sparkle!

Products Used

Sing

Super Star Stencil

Visible Image Youtube Channel

Thursday 19 October 2023

Curious Cats

Personally I am far more of a dog person than a cat lover but the Visible Image Curious Cats stamp set is a purr-fect addition to my stash for making cards for my many cat loving friends. Those eyes are just incredible!

I began by stamping and embossing the face on a square piece of watercolour card.

I used drawing gum to cover the areas I would later be colouring, and allowed to dry .

Once the gum was dry I coloured the card by laying Distress Oxide ink on my craft mat, spritzing with water and dabbing the card into it until I was happy with the coverage. I repeated this in the same colours on a larger square of card.

Once dry I used watercolour paint to colour the eyes and nose. Using a water brush I added oxide brush strokes from the nose to represent fur. Some white highlights with a gel pen helped to make thoos whiskers pop. I also stamped the sentiment on this section.

On the bottom of the larger card I stamped and embossed the small cats and cut the Framed Fibres layering die in brown. I cut sections from this to place either side of my main image to add some texture and detail. I mounted the squares in the same colour card to tie the whole thing together.

You can follow all things Visible Image on the social media links below. The team love to see your makes so do join in with posting in the Facebook group if you have been creating with their stamps and stencils.

Visible Image Youtube Channel

Products Used

Framed Fibres Layering Die

Friday 13 October 2023

Free Your Imagination

This week's project for Visible Image uses the magical Free Your Imagination stamp set and A to Z stencil. Such a cool combination!

It's been a while since I have used my gel plate, so I decided to play around with it to create a circular background for this card.

I began by adding a thin layer of Paynes Grey paint to the plate with a brayer and laying the stencil over the top. It's important to remember to reverse the stencil so that when the print is pulled it's the right way round.

I lay a piece of card over the top and rubbed the back carefully to lift the paint from the empty spaces. This gave me a great monochrome print to use another day.

I carefully removed the stencil and brayered on Salvaged Patina distress paint and white acrylic paint.

I am always excited to see what emerges when I pull a gel print, and this was no exception. It turned out exactly as I had hoped!

When the paint was completely dry I stamped and embossed the bird in the corner.

On an inky mop up sheet I stamped the ink bottle, quill and book. I stamped the book twice and fussy cut the top pages to decoupage to add more dimension.

Before I adhered these and the sentiment I stamped some ink splats around the bottom to help pull the whole piece together.

There is so much amazing inspiration being shared by the design team and Visible Image fans over on the socials. Do check them out on the links below and join in the fun.

Visible Image Youtube Channel

Products Used

Free Your Imagination

A to z stencil

Thursday 28 September 2023

Lose Yourself In the Night Sky

I don't know about you but I always think there is something absolutely mesmerizing about the night sky. As soon as I look up at it I can't help but relax and wonder what is going on up there, and that is my inspiration for this weeks project for Visible Image. Their new Multiverse stencil is just perfect for creating cards for anyone who loves space, and I have teamed it with the brilliant Midnight Sky stamp set.

I began by taking an inky background from my stash. This particular one was created with Craft Artist spray inks. I love their vibrant colours.

I taped the stencil in place over the top and blended a combination of Villainous Potion, Prize Ribbon and Black Soot Distress Inks over the top.

I then took my Inktense pencils and created planets in the circular gaps.

I stamped and embossed the large star in Wow embossing glitter, and then re stamped that and the small stars on a yellow and gold inky sheet and adhered them over the top.

I also stamped the little astronauts and coloured, and stamped the sentiment on black card and embossed in white to finish.

Do pop across to the Visible Image social media pages linked below to see al the amazing samples with the latest release from myself and my talented design team mates and don't forget to share your own projects too as we all love to see what you create.

Visible Image Youtube Channel

Products Used